The present invention relates to an optical connector for connecting a pair of optical fibers together with some gap between their ends.
When a screen or shelter is placed between opposed ends of a pair of optical fibers so as to intermittently interrupt the light transmitted thereby, the transmission of light through the two optical fibers is intermittent, depending on the frequency of interruption. In more detail, a pair of optical fibers are placed in alignment with each other with a gap left between their ends and a rotating disc with a hole or a slit is placed between the opposed ends of the optical fibers with the hole or slit aligned with the optical fibers. The light transmitted from one optical fiber passes through the hole or slit in the rotating disc to the other optical fiber. Thus, optical pulses whose number depends on the revolutions of the disc are produced. This can be utilized to measure the speed of rotation, etc.
In such an arrangement, the light from one of the optical fibers diverges from its end surface so that only part of the light is incident on the end surface of the other optical fiber, because of the difference between the refractive index of air and that of the optical fiber.
An object of the present invention is to provide an optical connector with a gap which obviates such a shortcoming and can transmit light with a minimum of loss.
In accordance with the present invention, an optical connector comprising a body having a pair of walls opposed with a gap therebetween and each having a hole for supporting an optical fiber therein, a pair of sleeves mounted in said holes, a pair of lenses mounted in said sleeves, and a pair of plugs mounted in said sleeves and formed with a hole for holding the end of an optical fiber therein so that its end abuts the end surface of the lens.
The transmission of light with a minimum of loss is possible by means of a pair of rod lenses in spite of the presence of a gap. The plugs each holding an optical fiber can be mounted and removed easily without the need of any particular attention.
Other features and advantages of the present invention will become apparent from the following description taken with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: